Fixed the drive plate this morning. The gap between the back of the drive plate and the bearing as well as the gap between the drive pulley and bearing as shown above were too large preventing the drive plate from retracting. The drive pulley had shifted on the shaft toward the auger end and was up against the brake assembly. As the drive pulley couldn't go any further the shaft, with the drive plate firmly in place, started to shift toward the friction disc end. This created two large gaps.
Below is the photo of the drive pulley up against the brake.
Loosen the two set scews and reset the drive pulley on the shaft. Below is a photo of the drive pulley set correctly on the shaft. The woodruff key is no longer visible.
Below is a photo showing that the gap between the back of the drive plate and the bearing has been reduced. The allows the drive plate to fully retract.
With the drive plate fully retracted the friction disc is no longer tight up agaist the drive plate. Below is a photo of the gap created when the drive pulley was reset. I was now able to set the traction cable correctly.
Thank you Sean and Mike.
Sean, I used your thought that something caused the drive plate to shift toward the friction disc. With this newer model, the drive plate doesn't screw onto the shaft. So I looked further down the shaft toward the auger and discovered the drive pulley up against the brake assembly.
Mike, as the drive pulley was up against the brake ... the shaft might as well had been frozen in place. I kept it simple.
Thanks again.
Steve K.